Sprint Cup - Team Toyota Rain Delay Driver Comments

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Will the
rain impact the track and grip? "Yeah, it rained today and hopefully we see
racing tomorrow. It's not going to change the track that much. It's not a
big handling race track, so it shouldn't change much. Just another day to
be thinking about it -- another day to be getting ready. Go to sleep and go
at it again tomorrow at noon."

Will this impact your team's preparation for Phoenix? "That's probably a
better question for Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) than me, but I know at the
shop it takes a day away from being home and working on these cars. It's
going to be a little tough to do all that, but what can you do? It's the
same for everybody, so hopefully we're ahead of schedule enough that we can
afford to miss a day."

DAVE ROGERS, crew chief, No. 18 M&M's Brown Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs
Racing What do you think about the race being postponed until Monday? "This
has proved to be a historic event -- 54 years and the first time the
Daytona 500 has ever been rained out. Everyone wishes we could have raced
today. It's an exciting day to be down here in Daytona. The first race of
the year and we were real excited to get on the race track and see how
strong our Toyota Camry is -- obviously want to duplicate our performance
from the Shootout last Saturday, but we're going to have to wait another
day. Tomorrow's looking pretty bad too -- 80 percent chance of
thunderstorms and then as a race team you start to think about the
logistics. Phoenix is next week -- it's a long trip for these transport
drivers. If it gets delayed too long, it could have consequences that bleed
over into next week's event. Hopefully, Mother Nature will cooperate and
we'll get the Daytona 500 in tomorrow afternoon."

Will the weather impact the track surface? "It certainly will, but this
track still has a lot of grip in it. The pavement is still fresh. I would
be more concerned at other tracks than I am here at Daytona. There's
definitely some things you have to think about. You can't really do
anything about it, but the cooling. We were all excited to race on a cooler
day -- low 60s. That means we can get a little more aggressive, we can push
on people a little bit more and not have to worry about that water temp as
much. If we end up racing in 70, 75, 80 degree weather then obviously the
drivers aren't going to be able to push as hard and you're going to have
some affects there. The weather is definitely going to affect the way the
race plays out, but at this point, as a crew chief there's not much you can
do because you can't work on the cars at all. We just have to stay here and
play it out."

DARIAN GRUBB, crew chief, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs
Racing What do you think about the race being postponed until Monday? "Just
honestly looking forward to get racing at some point. The weather's not
looking the greatest for tomorrow morning, but hopefully it will all blow
through and we'll be ready to go."

Will the weather impact the track surface? "I don't think so. The
temperature and stuff is supposed to be about the same. Everything is going
to be the same as we've had all weekend. Just a lot of riding for around
400 miles and race the last 100 and see how it goes.

Do you have to manage your team's focus? "A little bit. We've been down
here for a week and a half already, so now just getting them all back to
the hotel rooms or flying back home again and then get them back down here
again tomorrow, so hopefully it will be clear weather and everybody will
come in with their game face on."

JASON RATCLIFF, crew chief, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs
Racing How does this rain affect the race team? "I think the biggest thing
for us would be getting prepared to go to Phoenix actually. Getting it in
today would be a plus as far as staying on schedule. If not, the thing is
that tomorrow doesn't look any better than today. Hopefully, it will turn
into a night race -- I like night races. We'll see -- looks like it may
clear out here this afternoon and they've got lights so there's a lot of
hope for getting it in today. For us, we're kind of looking towards next
week because it's west coast. You go out there and you're going to be in
Phoenix and Vegas the next couple weeks. Being prepared for those things --
obviously, our cars are prepared, but as far as the team being prepared to
go out there in case we are here Monday or even Tuesday. Other than that,
it's no big deal. The Home Depot Camry is going to be good whenever we do
get the thing going. Joey (Logano) was pretty happy with it in practice so
I don't think racing it at night versus the day -- I think a few minor
adjustments on pit road to get it where it needs to be, regardless of when
we race."

JASON RATCLIFF, crew chief, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs
Racing (continued) How difficult will it be getting to Phoenix if we have
to race Monday? "It really won't be any more difficult. As far as the
turnaround time -- it will be. Getting the truck back and getting that
turned around. From that standpoint, it will be difficult. As far as being
prepared as a race team, we'll just have to start doing some of our prep
work here at the race track that we typically do at the shop. Those are the
things that we're working on right now -- getting prepared for Phoenix and
Vegas. Really, the hardest group that it's on is the truck drivers. Getting
the trucks back and getting those turned around and cleaned up. Especially
when you've been here for 10 days and you accumulate a lot of dirty laundry
in 10 days. The biggest thing is for those guys. Thankfully, we're not too
far from home. Eight hours up the road and we can be home and have this
thing turned around. Other than that, it will go off without a hitch."

Does the rain change the racing surface? "It does a little bit.
Obviously, with the new surface -- the tire is pretty durable here.
Goodyear brought a tire that's really durable because the surface is so
new. I don't think it's going to show up as much as maybe another race
track that had an older, abrasive surface. It's going to be much cooler
outside -- the track is going to be green. It could change dramatically
until we get some rubber back on the track. Then as the temperatures start
dropping, we may see something that is more similar to what we saw in the
Shootout than what we saw in the 150s."

Do you expect drivers to be patient when we start the race? "I hope so.
I think either way -- after watching the Truck race and the Nationwide
race, my gut is that all these guys are going to want to get to lap 100 or
140 before we get too crazy here. The goal right now for everybody is going
to be -- you hear this all the time, but it's true -- you don't stand a
chance at winning if you're not racing in it. You have some guys that are
going to get impatient and you try to watch them. If guys look like they
get really racy, I think we'll kind of back out and maybe find a couple
guys and drop back for a little bit and try to stay clear of that. Our goal
is just keep working on our car, stay in the hunt all day and try to be
there with 10 (laps) to go. If we're there with 10 to go, I think we've had
a strong enough car all week to give them a run for it."

Will you be focused on the halfway point of the race? "With the forecast
right now looking even worse -- not worse, but as bad tomorrow as it does
right now, you have to think that if they get it dry and we get on the
track then at any moment it could come down and stay awhile. I think if you
can get to the 100-lap mark, you have to be thinking about it at
least."

BRIAN PATTIE, crew chief, No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Michael
Waltrip Racing Will this weather affect your strategy or setup? "I don't
know that it changes much here. If we were at an intermediate track, it
would probably change the setup somewhat, but we're so wide open here. It
actually gains grip, so it wouldn't be a bad thing for us. Definitely
cooler weather would help our Toyota run better, I think. I don't know if I
would change anything. Just trying to keep people focused for long is kind
of hard, but thankfully we have 5-hour ENERGY for us."

Is fatigue a concern as the day goes on? "I don't think so. The pit crew
guys are athletes. They train all winter. They train all the time, so
they're in great condition, so I don't think it's going to be a fatigue
issue. The team guys here have done a good job prepping the cars. I don't
know that anything will really change."

Does this impact your preparation for Phoenix? "Not really. Back at the
shop, we've been working hard. We've been working on Phoenix, Vegas and
Bristol for quite some time, so it's nothing. Most teams in this industry
are well ahead. They're not week-to-week and neither are we, so we're well
ahead. Well go back, probably a day worth of work and load them up and send
them to Phoenix."

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